President Trump has tweeted several times in support of the protesters in Iran.President Trump has tweeted several times in support of the protesters in Iran. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)

The Trump administration is pressuring the Iranian government to stop blocking social media sites as deadly protests rumbled across the Middle Eastern nation.

At least 21 people have died since tensions boiled over in several cities across Iran — stemming from a stalled economy and a sharp rise in food prices.

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Hundreds have been arrested and the government has tried to crack down on the demonstrations.

Instagram and other popular social media sites were shut down days ago.

U.S. Undersecretary of State Steve Goldstein said Tuesday the United States wants Iran to "open these sites."

He said Instagram, Telegram and other similar platforms are "legitimate avenues for communication."

A university student attends a protest inside Tehran University Saturday while a smoke grenade is thrown by anti-riot Iranian police, in Tehran. (AP)

The Iranian government said that it blocked messaging apps and other social media feeds in a move to "maintain tranquility and security of society," state-run media said over the weekend.

Officials said they fear that social media posts about the discontent will spread violence.

Government forces have responded to the protests with deadly force and warned Iranians against holding "illegal" public gatherings.

Because the iron-fisted Iranian regime controls the majority of media in the country, social media apps like Instagram and other photo and message-sharing allow citizens to evade restrictions on freedom of speech.

Few independent news agencies exists in Iran.

One such group that has been transmitting images and videos of the latest uprising, Freedom Messenger, bills itself on Facebook as "an independent Iranian news agency seeking complete change of the Iranian regime by reporting on the human rights situation in Iran."